


No Rest For Wicked Beasts

by BridgetMcKennitt



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Community: kink_bingo, Desperation, M/M, Mating, Mental Coercion, Scenting, Sexual Tension, Soul Bond, Violence, Werewolf!Stiles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-09-16
Updated: 2013-07-19
Packaged: 2017-11-14 08:51:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/513455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BridgetMcKennitt/pseuds/BridgetMcKennitt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles never expected to discover Peter's prodigal nephew was his mate, let alone that Derek would refuse their bond. Stiles wasn't going to take that lightly though. He'd do anything to be with Derek.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For my kink bingo space bondage (other).

"I have a mission for you."

Stiles looked up from his computer, the glow from the screen highlighting his face in the darkened room. Peter arched his eyebrow before reaching for the light switch and flipping it on. Stiles hissed as light flared in his room and he covered his face in the crook of his arm.

"Peter, I'm not due to go on another mission for weeks. Go get one of your other betas to do your grunt work."

Peter removed Stiles' arm away from his face and his eyes gleamed red. "This isn't grunt work. It's far from it. I need your personal touch with this one."

Stiles arched his eyebrow. "That sounds interesting. I like interesting. What did you have in mind?"

"I've been thinking about family lately, particularly my nephew. He left Beacon Hills years ago, far before I took you within my fold, and I think that's been long enough. I want you to bring him back."

"The infamous Derek Hale? My, my." Stiles sat up straighter in his chair. "Tell me more. Is there a specific condition you want him in? Well done, medium rare, so bloody you could almost hear the cow mooing?"

Peter laughed and cupped Stiles' face before giving him a kiss. "I want him alive and unharmed, for the most part. If he resists and you need to subdue him, go right ahead. My nephew has always been a stubborn man."

"Where can I find him?"

"Ah, that's up to you to figure out. I wouldn't want to make your task too easy." Peter patted Stiles' cheek before he began walking out of the room. "Good luck, Stiles. Make your Alpha proud."

Stiles watched Peter go before he opened up a new tab to a search engine. Derek Hale had left Beacon Hills when he was sixteen years old and never came back. He was hiding somewhere and Stiles was going to find him.

He pulled up an older image of Derek and Stiles could feel his fangs descending as he grinned. "Oh, Derek. You can run and you can hide, but sooner or later, I will hunt you down."

***

New York.

Stiles found a snippet of information of a Derek Hale taking a few classes at a community college in New York. The Hale name was pretty common, as was the name Derek, but there was something about it that made Stiles suspect that he was on the right track.

Stiles booked himself a ticket to New York and forged the necessary documents he would need.

"Good luck," Erica said, almost crooning the words as Stiles packed a few snacks for the trip. She leaned her elbows against the kitchen counter. "Peter wouldn't say what exactly you're doing, but I bet it's something big. He would never send you on a small fry mission. Not his _favorite_." She practically purred the word.

"Guess again."

Erica laughed and Stiles turned his back on her. It was true that he was Peter's favorite, had been since he was turned at sixteen four years ago. It didn't mean, however, that Peter didn't like to rile him up by sending him to do shit missions. Sure, Peter did it to make the sex they had afterward even hotter, but it still didn't change the fact that Stiles wasn't only used for important things.

As Stiles headed towards the door, he ruffled Erica's hair, ignoring her grumbling. "Try not to let the pack fall apart without me here. I might be gone for awhile."

"For awhile? Now I'm even more intrigued. What could you possibly be doing that would take you away for so long?"

"Good luck finding out." Stiles gave a halfhearted wave before he left the house. He had a plane and a prodigal werewolf to catch.

***

From what he could hack from the community college database, the mailing address that Derek used with them was to a PO box. There should have been a valid home address attached to Derek's name, but when Stiles cross referenced what was on record with maps, it came up as nothing. Derek had used a fake address.

Stiles wondered if Derek knew that someday Peter would want him brought back to Beacon Hills. Maybe. Peter's obsessions and plans ran long and twisted. You would have to be dead to avoid Peter's talons, and sometimes not even then.

He rubbed his hands together when he landed in New York. The first thing he needed to do was visit that community college. Stiles doubted he could find a fresh scent from the location, but it was a good place to start.

If there was one thing Peter had taught him, it was how to charm anyone in his path. Hales, from what Peter had told him, were masters in many forms of seduction. If that was the case, then Stiles would need to watch out for Derek, both from the werewolf himself and the people he probably had protecting him.

Stiles arrived at the community college and headed towards the office. He smiled bright at the woman behind the counter and gave her a wave. He wasn't handsome like Peter or sexy like Derek, but he had something going for him. He could be adorable when he wanted to be.

"Hi. I was hoping you could help me. My name is Derek Hale."

Thirty minutes later, he had Derek Hale's file in his possession. Most of his classes were regular, general education type of classes which Stiles ignored. Derek mostly earned Bs on them, but that wasn't remarkable. It was the fact that while his associate degree was supposed to be in finance, many of the classes that Derek took that wasn't general education was in automotive technology.

A smirk crossed Stiles' face. With every deception Derek tried to use to cover his tracks, it made Stiles that much fonder of him. He hadn't even met the werewolf and yet Stiles just wanted to pinch his cheeks. He might just give into the temptation when he did find Derek.

"You're in for a big surprise, Derek Hale."

Derek didn't finish his degree, he had stopped taking classes about a couple of years or so ago, but Stiles felt like he had his next clue. Derek probably did enough automotive technology classes in order to get himself a job as a mechanic. Though Google brought up hundreds of hits regarding repair shops in the area, it didn't bother Stiles. He was getting closer to Derek. That was enough.

***

His phone rang and Stiles saw Peter's name on his screen. He answered it. "Hello, Alpha of mine. Calling to check up on me?"

"Never, but now that you've mentioned it, how are you doing with your mission? Have you seen Derek yet?"

Stiles rolled his eyes. What was Peter up to? "Not yet, but I will soon enough."

"Good. He's been a bad boy, my nephew, so when you do meet up with him, I want you to do something for me."

"Which is?"

"Send him a message. You're so good at that. Make him realize that he should have never left."

Peter was right about that, he _was_ good at sending messages. When Peter had found out that it was Kate Argent who burned down the Hale mansion and most of his family, he sent Stiles. The state of Kate's corpse was such that the remaining Argents immediately left Beacon Hills. Well, that and how he had Peter bite Victoria Argent, knowing how the family would react to one of their own getting bitten. Stiles had secretly filmed the lovely event of Chris helping his wife kill herself, and sent the DVD to them as a parting gift.

Stiles clutched his phone as he leaned back in his chair, staring absentmindedly at the hotel room he booked. "I bet he'd look good in chains." He could picture it now, Derek dragged home in chains, one around his neck, his arms behind his back, and the delicious image made Stiles' cock harden.

Peter chuckled over the line. "My nephew is a good looking man, Stiles. I'm sure he's only grown more attractive these past years, but don't let down your guard around him just because of his looks. He is a Hale, after all."

"He won't be any trouble and if he is, I have my special bag of tricks I can use on him." Stiles palmed his cock through his pants. "Why exactly do you want him home so badly? The pack has been doing fine without him for years. He's nothing but an Omega."

"That's for me to know, Stiles, and for you to find out. Let's just say that Derek has recently become very important to me."

"Has he?" Stiles made a frustrated noise. "You can tell me why he's so important. I'm your favorite, that should count for something."

"It does, but not for this. Find him for me and maybe I'll let you know." Peter hung up and Stiles tossed the phone aside.

"Ass," he muttered before focusing his attention on his laptop. He needed to narrow down his search. Peter wasn't subtle. There wasn't an official time limit on his mission, but considering Peter called and asked if he had seen Derek meant something. He was running out of time. He needed to find Derek before Peter ran out of patience.

Derek wouldn't be the type to own a repair shop, not when he's trying so hard to remain hidden. That much was obvious. But what repair shop would appeal to his tastes? Nothing with expensive or fancy cars. Probably not some shit hole in the wall that doesn't see much business. Derek seemed like the type to hide but want to keep busy. That eliminated several repair shops on his list.

Stiles wanted to narrow down the field even more, however. Derek was, for all intents and purposes, an Omega werewolf. He hadn't belonged to a pack in years and that had to have affected him. Stiles stared at his computer screen, deep in thought. Omegas were scum, but they longed for company of their own kind. As far as Stiles could tell, there wasn't a nearby pack and even if there was, Derek wouldn't have aligned himself with them. Derek would need some sort of pack substitute.

He rechecked his maps before something caught his eye. There was only one repair shop within walking distance of the local zoo. The zoo, Stiles checked on Google, housed an impressive wolf habitat. It was a hunch, and a stupid one at that, but Stiles hacked into the zoo's website and found a season pass for a D. Hale.

Stiles let out a bark of laughter before running his palm over his face. Derek liked to visit the wolves as his substitute pack. It was pathetic, but at least he had something substantial. In the morning, he was going to visit that repair shop and see if Derek worked there. If not, he always had the zoo to fall back on.

***

The repair shop was called Fabulous Freddy's and the guy at the front counter looked happy to be there, chipper almost. His name tag read Neil.

Stiles smiled and jerked his thumb towards the Toyota he'd stolen earlier that morning. "My car's acting up. Think someone can check it out?"

"Certainly. If you could just fill out this form here." Neil handed him a clipboard and a pen. "Be right back while I get one of our available mechanics."

Stiles took the clipboard and sat down on a plastic chair, filling the form out haphazardly. He had taken time out to slather his skin with a substance that would hide his werewolf identity from Derek, should Derek actually work at Fabulous Freddy's.

"We're back. This is Derek. He'll be taking a look at your car, mister..."

"Bilinski. Mr. Bilinski." Stiles looked up and he mentally whistled at the sight before him. Derek Hale had certainly grown up hot and sexy. He wouldn't mind riding him before dragging him back to Beacon Hills. He held out the clipboard. "I'm finished."

Neil took the clipboard. "Excellent. If you could hand your keys over to Derek and he'll take it into the garage."

Derek waited with an out stretched hand and Stiles dropped his keys onto it, careful to not touch him. "Be careful with her. She's one step away from a junk heap, but she's my baby."

Derek snorted before heading outside where Stiles' stolen car was parked. The brake system did stick and the car itself was pretty terrible, so Stiles didn't have to worry about Derek sensing a trap.

It didn't take long before Derek came back into the lobby, hands and jumpsuit stained with oil. "You'd spend less money just buying another car instead of fixing this," Derek said without greeting.

Neil made a horrified face, probably because Derek was suggesting something that wouldn't earn the repair shop money, before he smoothed out his expression. "Derek is joking, Mr. Bilinski. Your car is not that bad."

"Oh, it is," Stile said, offhandedly. He didn't care. "Will I be able to drive it to a car lot or will it die in the middle of the road?"

Derek's lips twitched. "It should get you far enough. Just try not to take it across the country."

Stiles paid for their time and headed towards the Toyota. He drove it just far enough away from Fabulous Freddy's before abandoning it. He wiped down his fingerprints and left the key on the driver's seat before walking away.

Now that he had seen Derek in person, he could formulate a plan to capture him. Stiles licked his lips. Derek would _definitely_ look good in chains.

***

Stiles tracked Derek's movements for the next two weeks. His schedule was predictable. Derek would go to work at eight and return home a little after five. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, he would visit the wolves at the zoo and on Sundays, he would do his grocery shopping.

The best time to snatch Derek would be just as he's leaving the zoo, when he's filled with warm feelings and has his guard down from being near the wolves. Stiles was ready with a syringe filled with enough wolfsbane to knock a werewolf unconscious but not leave lasting damage beyond a pounding headache.

Stiles parked another stolen car near the zoo's entrance and waited, tapping his gloved fingers against the steering wheel. Derek tended to stay for at least two hours and he had some time to kill.

Stiles spotted Derek coming out of the exit, right behind a family of four with the two little children holding colorful balloons. Derek had on a leather jacket and jeans, like he did every time he wasn't working at Fabulous Freddy's. He smirked before sliding out of the car and made his way towards Derek.

He slipped around a few people, blending in with the crowd, before coming up behind Derek and jabbing the syringe into his neck, injecting him with the wolfsbane.

Derek's body went limp and Stiles supported his weight, slipping Derek's arm around his shoulders. "Tsk tsk, you know you're a light drinker, and so early in the day too," he said, making sure to say the words loud enough so the humans around them wouldn't think something was amiss.

He dumped Derek into the back seat of the car before getting into the driver's seat and turning on the engine. The wolfsbane would keep Derek unconscious for about an hour, so Stiles had plenty of time.

He tied Derek to a chair within an abandoned warehouse. It wouldn't be enough to keep Derek from escaping, but he had his chains nearby. Peter gave him permission to do what he needed to do with Derek and Stiles loved giving his prisoners false hope. It made what came next that much more delicious.

Stiles took off his gloves and dropped them on the floor before sitting down on a crate, waiting for Derek to wake up. He didn't have to wait long. Derek's heartbeat changed and though it looked like he was still unconscious on the outside, Stiles knew he was awake.

"Don't try to pretend, Derek. You're not fooling anyone." Stiles stood up from his crate and walked closer. "Come on, open up and let me see those beautiful eyes of yours."

Derek raised his head before opening his eyes. They were blue. Stiles chuckled and clapped his hands together. "Aren't you an adorable little werewolf? Peter's going to be so pleased. He sends his regards, by the way." Stiles motioned towards the chains nearby. Derek focused on the chains before looking back at Stiles.

"You know who I am," Derek said, growling the words. "Who are you? Besides my uncle's pawn."

"The name's Stiles and I am far from Peter's pawn. Let's just say I'm his favorite." Stiles smiled before letting his eyes flash yellow. "He wanted me to find you, and find you I did. I have to say, Derek, you made the chase so much fun. I especially love how you chose to work near the zoo just so you could be closer to the wolves living there." He leaned in until he was an inch away from Derek's face. "Were you really that lonely?"

Derek snarled and Stiles jerked back as Derek tried to bite him. He laughed again. "Wonderful. I just want to pinch your cheeks. In fact, I think I will." Stiles raised his hands to grab Derek's face.

As soon as their skin touched, Stiles felt something akin to lightning race up his arms. He jumped back, cursing as he rubbed his hands. Stiles looked up to ask Derek what the hell that was when he noticed Derek's reaction.

Derek's mouth was open, eyes wide and horrified, and he was staring at Stiles like he was some kind of monster. Which, he was, but Stiles hadn't done anything to him yet. Within the space of his next breath, Stiles' world shifted and realized what Derek was feeling.

"You're my mate," said Stiles, taking in the strum of their bond like it was a pleasurable tooth ache. He could feel it and if he concentrated hard enough, he could almost touch it. "Holy shit, we're _mates_."

"No!" Derek practically roared the word and he began to struggle against the rope binding his arms and legs. "No!"

"Derek, stop. This is a good thing. Werewolves rarely find their mates." Stiles licked his lips before dropping his hands on Derek's shoulders. "I am seriously going to have to send Peter a thank you card or something. This is awesome."

At hearing Peter's name, Derek continued to struggle even harder. There was a loud snap and Stiles found himself tackled to the ground as Derek broke free of the rope. Before Stiles could react, Derek was gone.

"Fuck." Stiles got to his feet before sniffing the air to catch his scent. He could still feel Derek within him like a tangible presence. Why the hell did he run? They were mates. Already Stiles' feelings regarding Derek was changing from indifference to fondness. A few minutes more and he'd be in love. That was the thing with mates, once you were connected, there was no turning back. It didn't matter if two werewolves started out as bitter enemies because the bond would change their mindset until all that was left were mates. There was no fighting it.

Why was Derek fighting it? Stiles certainly wasn't. He had no plans to fight their mating.

"Fuck," he said again before taking off in the direction Derek ran. He was going to find Derek and demand some answers.

***

It was like Derek knew Stiles was following him and refused to slow down even for an instant. Derek was no longer in the state of New York, but as far as Stiles could tell, there was no pattern to where Derek was running. He was just running.

Stiles was beyond annoyed. Derek should have been balls deep within Stiles by now, his teeth buried in Stiles' neck while their claws drew blood from their skin. Stiles loved pain with his pleasure and he should have been having lots of pleasure with Derek. They were mates.

Stiles didn't need anything but his nose to track Derek, he could never forget the delicious scent of Derek, but just like when Derek first ran away from Beacon Hills, he was trying to hide and mislead him. There were times when Stiles would think he had Derek cornered and all he'd find was Derek's discarded shirt or pants.

His nose led him to the outskirts of a small town inside an old barn. It was probably another dead end, another shirt left behind to stall him, but Stiles wasn't going to give up. His mate belonged with him.

Stiles overturned a bucket with a kick before kneeling down to grab the shirt. "This is getting old, Derek," he muttered.

"Good."

Stiles howled as he felt sharp claws slicing through his back and he stumbled forward. Stiles caught himself and spun around to see Derek, panting heavy and his face shifted to look more werewolf than human.

"Mate." He must have been so far in his head to not have realized Derek was nearby. He should have known. Stiles reached behind him to touch his back before looking at his blood soaked fingers. "If you wanted foreplay, you didn't need to act so coy. I'll gladly play with you."

"Leave me the fuck alone. I don't want you."

That hurt. Stiles wanted him. "Sorry, can't do that. We're mates and I love you. There's no turning back from it."

"I'll fight it. I'll fight _you_." Derek bared his fangs and let out a roar. 

Clearly, Derek was a stubborn man and wasn't going to listen to reason. Stiles let his face shift and his claws come out. Fine. If Derek needed to get the shit kicked out of him, then so be it. "Then fight me."

Stiles lunged forward just as Derek did and they fought. Despite being out of touch with pack and other werewolves, Derek was fast and moved like he belonged in a circus. Stiles had his strengths, however, and there were times when Derek could barely keep up with Stiles' claws and fangs. Adrenaline raced through his veins and the pain was nothing but pleasure because his opponent was Derek.

Derek back flipped away before almost stumbling and Stiles reached for him in concern. "No!" Derek slashed his arm through the air, warning Stiles to stay back. "I don't want your help. Why don't you get it into your stupid head that I don't want any part of you or Peter?"

Stiles glanced at Derek, his eyes flashing yellow. He was hurt. They both were. "We could have been so soft and sweet, you know. But now all I do is hunt you."

"Then you'll be hunting me forever. I'm not going to give in." Derek held his side, the spot on his shirt already caked with blood. "Peter is a mad man and I refuse to side with him."

"You'd be siding with _me_. ME!" Stiles cried out. "I'm your mate. I don't care about Peter anymore or his pack. It was always going to be you. Why can't you see it?" As the words left his lips, they both knew it to be true. Stiles didn't care that Peter wanted Derek home. Stiles just wanted Derek for himself. He wanted Derek to fit into his life as seamlessly as possible.

But Derek shook his head and Stiles wanted to howl in frustration. "I can't, Stiles. I _can't_. He's your Alpha. You should care about him. You do."

"He may be my Alpha, but you're my mate. Like I said, our type of mating is rare. How often do souls bond?" He shrugged. "Not often, that's for damn sure, and I have a bond with you. You are my priority, not Peter."

"Whether you care or not, you're still part of Peter's pack and I can't let him sink his claws into me through you."

"I won't let that happen. You can trust me, Derek. I'll protect you." Judging from the vulnerable look in Derek's eyes, he wasn't going to change his mind. Not yet. Stiles sighed before his shoulders slumped low. "Fine. Run some more. I'm only going to chase after you."

"I know." Derek's voice was soft. "I'm okay with that."

Stiles held out his arms. "Before you go, I think we should hug. I mean, you should take in as much of my scent as possible to keep you warm on those lonely nights. Am I right?"

It was a stupid excuse and yet Derek stepped into his embrace, burying his face against Stiles' shoulder and gripping him tight. He could hear Derek breathing him in deep and Stiles nuzzled his nose against Derek's head. It felt good to touch Derek like this and he didn't want to let him go.

He felt Derek's human teeth nip at his neck and Stiles couldn't help but moan. "If you want to keep going, I won't say no," said Stiles.

Derek sighed before pulling away from Stiles. "No. I can't stay. I can't be around you. Not now."

"I love you."

Derek's lips twitched before he took in a deep breath. "I love you, too." He gave Stiles one last glance before running.

Stiles slid to the ground before breaking out into hysterical laughter. Derek loved him. Of course he did, the mating wouldn't let him feel anything else, but hearing the words from Derek still felt good.

It was progress of sorts.

***

This time, Derek didn't run so desperately or as careful as before. It was almost like a game between them. Sometimes Derek would stay just long enough for Stiles to catch a glimpse of him before disappearing in the crowds.

Stiles didn't mind. Derek could outrun Stiles, but he couldn't outrun their mating. Not for long.

Peter tried calling him a few times and Stiles only made a few noises of agreement and excuses before attempting to get him off the line. Peter didn't need to know that Derek was his mate, not when Derek was still so shy about it, and he wasn't going to reveal that to Peter until he absolutely had to.

"Derek is a Hale, Peter. You shouldn't expect anything less from him," Stiles said as he got a whiff of Derek in the air. His mate was nearby.

"I don't, but I did expect more from you. He's just one werewolf. You should have delivered him with a bow on his head already."

"Give me some credit here. I know what I'm doing. Listen, I have to go. Try not to worry so much. It'll give you wrinkles."

Peter laughed. "There's my boy. All right, go and hunt. I knew it was going to take you awhile anyway. That just gives me more time to get things ready on my end."

Stiles raised his eyebrow and wondered what Peter meant by that. Not that Peter would tell him, not yet. He hung up the phone and followed Derek's scent.

When he found him, Stiles wondered if this was another trap. There Derek was, asleep on his back on a neatly made bed. Stiles climbed through the window of the apartment and looked around. There were pictures of someone else's family along the walls, a calendar on the fridge marking them on vacation during this week, and Stiles chuckled silently to himself. Derek must have broken in so he could take a nap.

Stiles reached into his pocket and withdrew a syringe filled with the same wolfsbane he had injected Derek with at the zoo. It would give him enough time to do what he wanted, without Derek interfering.

Finding chains was difficult in that part of town, but Stiles managed to bring them back and chained Derek to the bed. His mate slept through it under a wolfsbane induced sleep and Stiles straddled his waist, watching him.

Even while asleep, Derek looked stressed. Stiles stroked Derek's hair and leaned low to press a kiss against his forehead. Derek had been alone for a long time and probably had never gotten a moment of peace for just as long. Stiles didn't like knowing his mate was hurting like this.

Derek woke up sometime later, eyes blinking open and harsh as he glared at Stiles. He rattled the chains holding his arms. "Seriously?" he asked.

Stiles hummed before splaying his fingers across Derek's shirtless chest. Derek's body was gorgeous. "Seriously. I wanted to talk and I figured this was an easy way to get you to stay long enough for a conversation to occur."

"This isn't doing much to make me want to trust you, Stiles."

"No, but it's not like you were going to stop running long enough for anything civilized. I promise, after we talk, I'll unchain you and you can continue on your merry way. Okay?"

Derek continued to glare up at him before he jerked his head to the side. "Fine. So what did you want to talk about?"

"First off, I love you. I don't think I can say that enough."

"I love you, too, but that's not the point."

A shiver stole through Stiles. Derek said the words so easily and he couldn't help but bend down to kiss him. Derek kissed back with enthusiasm and Stiles almost forgot what he had meant to do until Derek made a noise in his throat and Stiles pulled away.

"Sorry. I got caught up in the moment." He bounced a little. "Speaking of getting caught up, I've been wanting you to fuck me for a long, long time. We should do that."

"Stiles."

"Right. I've been thinking about your situation. I think you should return home with me to Beacon Hills."

Derek snorted. "No. That's out of the question."

"Hear me out. Return home with me as if everything's going according to Peter's plan. You'll stay under the radar, we both will, and when it's the proper time..." Stiles trailed off to bare his fangs. "Alphas can fall while Betas can rise and Omegas become Betas. I have no problems letting Peter fall."

Derek grew silent and returned to stare off to the side. After a few minutes, he looked up at Stiles, his eyes flashing blue. "You would kill your Alpha?"

"For you, I would do anything. If Peter is your issue, I'll rid the world of him."

Derek shook his head. "I don't want you to kill him. He deserves death after what he did to-" Derek broke off and Stiles winced. He knew exactly how Peter became Alpha. While he had never met Laura Hale, Peter had often told him how fond Derek had been of his older sister. "He deserves death, but killing isn't the answer."

Stiles shrugged his shoulders as he slid off of Derek to stretch out next to him. He buried his face against Derek's shoulder. "It's not a big deal to me. I've killed for Peter before. I've tortured people as well. If you weren't my mate, I would have tortured you and I would have enjoyed it."

"I don't doubt it. As Peter's favorite, he would have twisted you to match his vision." Derek nuzzled the top of Stiles' head. "Good thing I like you anyway. However, my answer hasn't changed. I don't want you to kill him. I don't want you killing at all."

"Then what do you want to do? Because if I don't bring you home, he'll just send someone else who will and they won't be as nice as I've been. You can't run forever."

"I don't know." Stiles looked up to meet Derek's gaze. "I never thought this would happen."

"Peter's the only one who can end this, Derek. My idea could still work. We'll pretend things are normal and we can use that time to observe before making an actual plan. He's up to something and you're part of it. We should at least find out what that is. I won't kill him unless he forces my hand. If you can come up with something better, I'd like to hear it."

"We could have sex."

Stiles sat up and stared down at Derek, wondering if his desperate mind had fabricated what Derek had said. Derek looked at him with a tight expression, not revealing anything.

"Say that again?"

"Stiles, I'm at your mercy." Derek shook the chains attached to his arms again. "Scent me."

He gave Derek a stern look before leaning down and taking a deep breath. He could smell Derek's arousal wafting from his skin and it smelled _good_. Beneath the arousal, Stiles smelled...Derek was relaxed. Stiles jerked back.

"You asshole, you like this!"

"To be technical, I like being around you." Derek cleared his throat and the smile he gave Stiles was crooked and off. "I can't keep fighting two fronts, both our mating and Peter. Something has to give and I would rather offer my throat to you. So this is me, giving into you."

"If I unchained you, will you run again?"

"Maybe. I promise I'll run slow enough so you can catch up and run with me."

Stiles laughed before shaking his head. "That sounds sweet, but that doesn't sound like a good time." He closed his eyes and let Derek's scent calm him. "I'm going to unchain you."

He leaned over Derek's body so he could unlock the manacles around Derek's wrists. Once his arm was free, Derek wrapped it around Stiles' waist. Stiles looked down and tsked at him. "Now now, you're not being helpful at all."

Derek chuckled and once Stiles released his other arm, he surged up and pulled Stiles onto his lap. A moment later, he was pressing his face into Stiles' neck. Stiles still needed to unlock the manacles around Derek's ankles, but with the way Derek held him tight, that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

"I never thought I'd find a mate," Derek said, the words muffled against Stiles' skin. "Even before Laura died, I didn't belong. Our mating should be the best thing in my life, but I can't let myself give into hope so easily. I love you, but I don't know you, let alone trust you. Peter has had his claws all over you. I can't tell where he ends and you begin."

"Loving you is as easy as breathing for me. I can't make you trust me, but I can talk. I'm good for talking." Stiles chuckled. "I've lived in Beacon Hills all my life and I was the son of the sheriff. My mom passed away when I was young and my dad died when I was sixteen. That's when Peter found me and turned me into a werewolf. He thought I had potential."

Derek let out a growl and Stiles patted his back. "Hey, if he hadn't given me the bite, I wouldn't have met you and we definitely wouldn't have been mated because that's for werewolves only. So no more growling, okay? Besides, this is Stiles story time. What else did you want to know about me? I am an open book."

"Just talk." Derek shifted them until they were lying back down on the bed and their legs were tangled together.

So Stiles did. He talked about his human childhood and his best friend Scott, who was also turned into a werewolf along with him. He talked about the pack, not about Peter, and how they were all turned as teenagers. He talked about how, as Peter's favorite, he was the second in command within the pack and yet how little that actually meant to the pack members when they wanted to sass him. He talked until Derek's eyes drooped and he fell back asleep.

Stiles smiled and pressed a kiss to Derek's forehead. His mate needed to rest and Stiles was going to let him have it. When the sun rose, Stiles was going to push Derek to make a decision.

***

Stiles was surprised Derek was still in bed with him the next day. Derek had unlocked the chains around his ankles with Stiles' key, but hadn't run. Stiles placed his hand against Derek's cheek and pulled him in for a kiss.

"Good morning, Derek."

Derek made a contented noise as he wrapped his arms around Stiles, throwing one leg over Stiles' legs. "Morning."

"Thanks for not leaving."

"You're welcome. It's not like I had anywhere to go."

Stiles stared at him before snorting. "A joke. He jokes. It's good to know my influence is affecting you."

"I'm trying to not fight our mating." He closed his eyes. "While I was running from you, it was like each breath I took in was filled with jagged pain. I can't do that any longer. I'm not strong enough." Derek opened his eyes so he could meet Stiles' gaze. "I don't know where it leaves us though. Love doesn't change a person, not really."

"Maybe not, but we'll figure something out. You're not the only one offering their throat in this relationship." Stiles did just that, lifting his head so he could bare his throat to Derek. Derek took in a sharp breath and Stiles waited until he could feel Derek's lips brush against his skin. "I'll trust enough for the both of us, okay? If there's one thing I am going to fight for in this world, it's you."

Derek pressed a kiss against Stiles' throat. "Do you really think the only way out of this is to go back to Beacon Hills?"

"I do. We need to find out Peter's plan and see if we can't find a way to keep him out of our lives. That can only work if we make him think everything's under his control and that means going back to Beacon Hills." Stiles paused. "Do you feel the urge to run again?"

"Yes. I won't though." Derek raised his head so he could meet Stiles' gaze. "I'm not going to like this plan, am I?"

"To be honest? Probably not, but I'll be there."

***

It took a few more days in order for Derek to work up the courage to fly with Stiles to California. Stiles was there, hand on Derek's back, murmuring that he loved him and that he wouldn't let Peter sink his claws into him.

"Let me take care of Peter. He's not your concern. What I need for you is to make certain you can handle being a part of a pack again."

Derek narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, you've been an Omega for awhile and my pack can be vicious. You'll need to be able to handle them."

"I can be vicious."

Stiles beamed and rewarded Derek by pulling him in for a kiss. "Good. Now here's the plan. I didn't tell Peter that we're mates and I don't plan on telling him. Instead, we're going to use our bond against him."

"How?"

Stiles closed his eyes and strung a mental finger against their bond. At Derek's gasp, he forced a thought through it. _Like this._

Derek jerked against him and Stiles gripped him tighter. He let his love for Derek flow through their bond, hoping it would calm Derek down.

It did. Stiles opened his eyes and Derek looked visibly relaxed though wary as he eyed Stiles. "I didn't know you could do that."

"It's an advantage mated werewolves have over others."

"If you knew about this, why didn't you attempt it earlier?"

Stiles shrugged. "I knew you'd freak and you were already fighting our mating as it was. Besides, I don't think it would have worked as well _because_ you were fighting it. Here, you try it. Send me something." At Derek's glare, Stiles backtracked. "Or not right now, but practice. I am willing and open for you whenever you want."

"Right." Derek let out an angry breath of air before pressing his forehead against Stiles' forehead. "I'll try, for you. What will happen when we reach Beacon Hills?"

"I'll have to pretend that nothing has changed. Peter will meet us at the Hale mansion and he'll be his charming, snake-like self. I don't know what Peter has planned for you, so we'll have to play it by ear. I promise though that if he steps out of line, I will kill him."

"He's still family," murmured Derek.

" _I'm_ your family and I watch out for my own." At that moment, Stiles felt something coming through their bond. It was like a puppy butting its head against his leg and Stiles smiled at Derek's attempt. "Let's work on our cover story one more time. I don't want Peter catching us in a lie."

A few days later, they drove into Beacon Hills in Stiles' crappy Jeep. Stiles tapped his fingers against the steering wheel before glancing at Derek sitting in the passenger seat. It was decided between them that Stiles had played with Derek (tortured him) while they were in New York until Derek gave into Stiles' demands. Derek was supposed to be on edge and sullen, like the prodigal son returning home that he was.

They stopped at a gas station and while Derek filled the tank with gas, Stiles went into the store to make his call.

Peter answered on the first ring. "And how is my favorite werewolf doing?"

"Just peachy. I'll be at the mansion shortly with Derek."

Stiles heard Peter's delight over the line. "So you finally caught my nephew. Congratulations. How did he take it?"

Stiles snorted. "Terribly, but I made him see reason. I can be quite persuasive when I want to be."

"Indeed. Well, bring him over as quick as you can so he can meet the pack. I want nothing but the best for my nephew."

"Will you tell me what your plan is? Because that sentiment doesn't mesh with the fact that I kicked his ass up in New York."

Peter chuckled. "Of course I will, Stiles. You know how much I love you. But for now, let's just say that I need another Hale in my life. Our bond with Beacon Hills runs deep."

The Hale pack had lived in Beacon Hills for centuries, but Stiles had never heard anything about a bond with the land. If Derek didn't know what Peter was talking about, Stiles was going to research it.

"Right. Give me about thirty minutes." Stiles ended the call before heading back to Derek. "Are you ready?" he asked Derek, knowing his mate heard his half of the conversation.

"No, but I have no choice, do I?"

Stiles cupped Derek's cheek as he brought him closer for a kiss. "We'll be fine. We're mates."

They got back into the Jeep and it wasn't long before the Hale mansion loomed in front of them. Stiles felt a tremor of fear coming from Derek and he took one of his hands off the steering wheel so he could squeeze Derek's hand.

_It's all an act. I love you._

That seemed to calm Derek down long enough for Stiles to park the Jeep. As they walked to the front door, it opened and Peter stepped out. Derek's heartbeat pulsed at a steady rate and he had a blank expression on his face, but Stiles knew through their bond how much Derek wanted to run away from this moment.

Peter took Stiles into his arms and kissed him. It was what Peter normally did whenever Stiles returned from one of his missions and Stiles had to act like he enjoyed it. He did, on some level, but Derek was what he craved and truly wanted.

"I missed you," Peter said before turning to Derek. "Derek, it's been years. Welcome home."

Suddenly, Stiles knew it wouldn't be hard for Derek to pretend to be vicious. Peter's kiss had Derek's rage pounding through their bond in waves. None of that showed on Derek's face though. He merely shrugged his shoulders and looked around.

"I would say thanks for the invite, but we both know I don't mean that. So let's cut to the chase. Why did you send your thug after me?"

"The answer is simple, Derek. I need you. The Alphas are coming."

Stiles didn't know what that meant, but judging by the widening of Derek's eyes, his mate did. Peter nodded before tilting his head towards the mansion. "Come inside so you can meet the rest of the pack. Then we'll have a long talk."

"Yes, we need to." Derek brushed past Stiles and followed Peter inside, leaving Stiles standing alone on the front step.

Stiles arched his eyebrow, curious what had just occurred between the two Hales before going inside the mansion. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like what Peter had to say.


	2. Chapter 2

Stiles found Derek in the living room standing next to Peter as he introduced each member of the pack. The pack surrounded them, sitting on the chairs and couches, as they looked at Derek. He held back as Peter spoke.

"This is my nephew, Derek Hale. He's going to be staying with us for awhile."

Stiles watched the rest of the pack's reactions to Peter's announcement. He wanted to know who he could trust when it came to Derek and who he would have to watch out for. Not that he'd trust any of them, including Scott, when it came to Derek, but he needed allies in order to keep Derek safe from Peter.

Peter clasped Derek on the shoulder. "You may consider Derek as my second in command."

There were a few pair of eyes that looked towards Stiles. He merely lifted his chin, trying not to let the news affect him. He had been Peter's second in command since he'd been sixteen. There was no reason for Peter to do this, not unless he was trying to butter Derek up.

Peter glanced behind to look at him and Stiles narrowed his eyes. Or Peter wanted to infuriate him. It could easily be both options. Peter was all about layers.

"Stiles, come with us. I'm going to show Derek to his new room." With that, the impromptu meeting was over, but no one moved from their spots.

Stiles gestured towards the staircase. "Lead the way, Alpha."

Derek's emotions fluctuated between nervous about being around werewolves again and wanting to rip Peter's face off. Stiles half wondered what Derek felt from him. Probably how pissed off he was at Peter.

It didn't take long to realize that Peter was leading them towards Stiles' wing. Peter had his own wing within the mansion, and while the rest of the pack had their own individual rooms, no one else possessed a wing besides Stiles. No one dared entered Stiles' space either unless it was Peter or had an invitation from Stiles himself. So why was Peter leading them this way?

Peter stopped at the closest room to Stiles' before turning around and gesturing within. "This is where you'll be residing, Derek. I would give you the room you had before the fire claimed it, but Stiles currently occupies it."

Oh. _Oh._

That was probably a coincidence. Peter had rebuilt to match the exact specifications of the mansion before the fire burned down the original. Stiles had wandered the halls until he chose the room he liked the most and declared the rest of the wing as his.

Stiles frowned and shifted so he could stare down Peter. "I'm not sharing my space. It's bad enough you usurped my position as second and gave it to _him_ , and now you're doing this? I'm putting my foot down and saying no."

Peter's eyes flashed red and he let his canines grow. "This isn't a request, Stiles. It's an order. In fact," Peter glanced at Derek. "Derek, the reason I put you next to Stiles is because I thought you'd enjoy having him close by to service you any time you'd like."

"Why the hell would you think I'd want that?" Derek asked, spitting out the words. Their bond flooded with how much Derek did want to have sex with Stiles, they hadn't gotten beyond cuddling before traveling to Beacon Hills, but not like this. Not because Peter gave Stiles to him. "You set him after me like a wild dog."

"Hey!"

"Exactly." Peter opened his arms in a welcoming gesture. "I figure you would appreciate using him however you see fit. He has _such_ a mouth on him."

There was some sense to Peter's plan. If Stiles had been brought back home like an animal, tortured like an animal, he would have loved to get his revenge back on the person who hunted him down by fucking the shit out of him. It was twisted enough that Stiles approved, even as he hated it because he was the bait.

"No. I refuse to get my rocks off from your thug." Derek glared at Stiles before focusing back on Peter. "I'll stay in Beacon Hills for now, stay in this room, and help you fend off the Alphas, but I'm not going to fuck whoever you want me to, just because you think I'd be fine with revenge."

"Perhaps you will with a little demonstration?" Peter's eyes were still tinged red as he turned his gaze to Stiles. "Stiles."

"No," said Stiles, spitting out the word. "I'm not going to give him a blowjob. I'm not going to 'service' him whenever he wants. You heard him, he doesn't even want me to."

"He could use you as a punching bag instead. He might enjoy it more and I know you love pain."

Stiles did love pain, but mostly when it came to having pleasure as well. He knew Derek wasn't going to like hurting him for any reason, so Stiles knew what he had to do. He glared at Peter before sliding to his knees in front of Derek and unzipping his jeans.

Derek let out a noise, but Stiles didn't let that distract him. He was going to give Derek a blowjob to get Peter off their backs and he'd apologize to Derek later.

He made it quick, gulping down Derek's cock and working him into a frenzy before he swallowed down Derek's come. It wasn't what he wanted, what either of them wanted, but judging from Peter's satisfied chuckle, Peter was happy.

"Good boy, Stiles. Maybe next time you'll slow down enough for Derek to enjoy it."

He tucked Derek back into his pants before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Maybe."

"Dinner is at seven. Try not to kill each other." Peter patted Stiles' head before walking away. Once Peter was gone, Stiles got to his feet and threw himself into Derek's embrace. He buried his face against Derek's neck.

He couldn't say the words he wanted to say aloud, not when werewolf ears could pick them up, so Stiles threw his feelings into their bond. He was sorry.

Derek rubbed his back and made shushing noises. Derek forgave him. He took a moment to pull himself together before taking Derek by the hand and leading him into his room. Once he shut and locked the door, he turned around.

"This room is soundproof for werewolves. We can talk here freely." Stiles stuck his hands into his pockets as his eyes drifted past Derek's shoulder. "It was one of the first things I did when I moved in. I'm not much of a sharer."

"I don't know if I can do this," Derek said, the words frantically spilling out as his eyes widened in panic. "I can handle your pack and I can handle Peter having his hands all over you, but I can't hurt you, Stiles. I won't."

"You won't hurt me and we can do this. I want to keep you and the only way that's going to happen is through Peter." Stiles reached for Derek's hand and laced their fingers together. "So relax and let me blow you every once in awhile."

Derek stiffened at that and Stiles squeezed his hand. "What?"

"I didn't know you and Peter were a thing. I knew he was your Alpha and you were his favorite and second in command, but not what that entailed. He's going to want to sleep with you, isn't he?"

"Most likely. I can tell him no."

Derek shook his head. "No, don't. That would give us away." He gave Stiles a careful look. "When he kissed you, you liked it. You enjoyed it."

"I did. Our bond doesn't change my feelings for anyone else but you. So yes, Peter's kiss still feels good like it always had." Stiles let out a sigh. "We're going in the wrong direction. What did Peter mean by the Alphas were coming?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. They're a pack of Alphas who come sniffing around other packs to try and persuade that Alpha to kill their own pack and join up with theirs. The Alphas are trouble that not even Peter can con his way out of."

Stiles stared at him. "But _why_? A pack is one Alpha and the Betas under that Alpha. What's the point of a bunch of Alphas banding together?"

"I don't know. I only remember the Alphas coming after my mother when I was a child and her fending them off with the rest of the adults in my family. They storm into a pack's territory without any warning and when they leave, the territory is ruined and the pack is destroyed." Derek shuddered. "You're part of this pack and that means you're in danger from them."

"So our situation has gotten a little more complicated. Good thing I have you to keep me safe." Stiles leaned forward to give Derek a kiss. "Dinner's at seven. Try and get some rest, okay?"

Derek grabbed Stiles' wrist and pulled him in close. "I'm not mad at you for feeling what you feel about Peter. I'm the interloper here."

"Hey, hey. You're the one I want."

"Only because we're mates."

"So? I'm thrilled that you're my mate. I wouldn't have chosen anyone else for myself." Stiles kissed him again. "For dinner, because you're now Peter's second in command, he's going to want you to sit on his right side at the head of the table."

"Is that where you normally sat?"

"Nah. I always sat on his left. No one sat on his right." Stiles opened the door to let Derek out.

*

Peter had always insisted that dinner was a formal affair. Stiles finished buttoning the buttons on his collared shirt and opened his door to see Derek waiting outside in his own business casual wear. Stiles didn't know Derek had other clothes to slip into for dinner.

"Did you need me to blow you before dinner?" asked Stiles. "Is that why you're here?"

Derek smirked. "If you're offering, sure."

"I'm not offering."

"Then maybe next time. I want you to accompany me downstairs. In fact, I always want you in my sight." He sneered. "Don't think I forgot about New York."

A flood of apology-tinted love came through the bond from Derek and Stiles smiled. He reached forward to squeeze Derek's hand before letting go. "That's good. I'd hate to think all that work was so easily forgotten."

Derek gestured ahead of him. "You first."

Only Boyd was there in the dining room and Stiles nodded to him before taking his seat on the left side of Peter's reserved chair. Derek didn't hesitate as he sat down on the right side of Peter's chair, sitting directly in front of Stiles. The others trickled in and sat at the table until Peter was the last one to arrive. He looked proud to see Stiles and Derek there and said so.

"My nephew and my favorite. This is how it should be." Peter looked to Derek. "You should have never left."

"And you should have never killed my sister, so I say that makes us even," Derek said coolly.

Peter laughed. "Perhaps. I hope your favorite dishes haven't changed because that's what we're having tonight."

Human servers came out with trays of food and Stiles was surprised to see that Derek's favorites were some of his own. Scott glanced towards Stiles and raised his eyebrow. Scott had been his best friend since they were children. Of course he had the same thoughts as the ones Stiles had running through his head.

Peter took Stiles' hand into his own and brought it up to his lips to kiss Stiles' knuckles. "It was Stiles' idea to hire some humans to help around the house. Mostly, I think it's because he didn't want to do chores and the pack agreed with him."

"That doesn't make your place safer," said Derek as he eyed one of the servers who reached over him to pour water into his glass from a pitcher.

"Neither does a house filled with werewolves, or don't you remember how it burned down the last time?" Peter's eyes narrowed as he stared down Derek and Stiles decided it was time for a subject change.

"So I was thinking I should take Derek on a tour around Beacon Hills. It's been awhile since he was last here and lots has changed."

"My doing, of course," Peter said. "Life is so much easier when the humans are aware of the big bad wolf pack in their midst."

Derek raised his eyebrow. "Beacon Hills knows about werewolves?"

"Something like that. They know not to mess with the pack or their loved ones will disappear screaming into the night. Eat up before the food gets cold."

Stiles picked up his fork and began to eat. He felt how nervous Derek was through their bond, but just going by sight or his werewolf senses, he couldn't tell. Derek was good at masking his emotions.

As soon as he finished, he got up and left the table. Peter would punish him for his rudeness, but that never stopped Stiles before. In fact, before Derek, it was the main reason he did it.

Just as Stiles was about to leave the dining room, Peter called out. "Stiles, when Derek is done, take him out to tour Beacon Hills. Derek, feel free to punish Stiles for his rudeness."

Stiles growled and stomped out of the room.

*

The first place Stiles took Derek was the edge of the forest overlooking Beacon Hills. The sun was already setting. He parked his Jeep at the end of the dusty road and shifted to look at Derek.

"So dinner was kind of painful," Stiles said to break the silence. "At least we survived."

Derek nodded and Stiles poked his shoulder. "Still think Peter is trying to sink his claws into you?"

"Either that or he's going to throw me to the Alphas in order to save himself. Both options sound like things Peter would do."

"You said your mother fended them off?"

"When I was a child, yes. She was the Alpha of our pack and their leader came to visit her. He wanted her to kill us, but she refused. We were her family, not just her pack. No one died, but I remember the adults being injured for a very long time after the Alpha pack left Beacon Hills."

"I don't think Peter has the urge to kill all of us and join the Alpha pack. He loves being the top dog here too much to play second fiddle to someone else." Stiles leaned back in his chair as he began to think. "He wanted you here for a reason though and if we find that out, we can use that to our advantage. I'm not going to let Peter ruin our bond."

Stiles looked down as Derek laced their fingers together. "He's not going to ruin our bond. I just don't want to always be on the run," Derek said.

"We won't. I know you don't like it, but push comes to shove, I _will_ kill Peter to keep you."

"Let's try to find out more information about the Alpha pack first. They're coming and we need to find the reason why."

"We can sniff around and see if there's any trace of them. But first," Stiles broke off as he shifted within the Jeep until he straddled Derek's lap. "I think we need to make out."

The look on Derek's face was a mix between disdain and fondness. Stiles narrowed his eyes as he wondered if Derek was still fighting their bond. He let his claws extend and let it sink just a little into the meat of Derek's shoulder.

Derek responded by baring his fangs and gripping Stiles' other hand tighter. "Stiles."

"Stay with me, Derek. I love you, but you're a real piece of work. You should _want_ to make out with me. It's not a hardship."

"The bond only makes us fall in love, not change anything else about us or how we feel. I'm allowed to worry and think you're not exactly what I wanted out of life. I never wanted a mate like you. I never wanted to return to Beacon Hills or see Peter."

"I don't care. We're mates and we're here, so deal with it." Stiles smashed their lips together in a rough kiss. Derek didn't pull away like Stiles half expected him to, but kissed him back just as roughly.

Every time Stiles tried to undress Derek or slip his hand towards his cock, Derek knocked his hand aside. Stiles was pissed off and he broke their kiss to shove Derek.

"What the fuck?"

"We're not having sex in your Jeep, Stiles. Deal with it." The last words had a taunting tone to it and Stiles rolled his eyes.

"If this is you not fighting our mating, I can't wait to see when you're fully on board with it."

"I'm trying. This town feels wrong under Peter's influence and I know what the Alpha pack can do to Betas like you."

Stiles laughed. "Oh, Derek. There aren't any Betas like me. Okay, fine. Let's go and sniff out some Alphas. Maybe even do some research. When we get back to the mansion, I'm going to demand answers from Peter about them. It's something he'd expect."

Stiles slid back into the driver's chair and started the ignition. Before he backed the Jeep up, he turned to look at Derek. "I promised you before we arrived in Beacon Hills that I'd protect you, and I will. You are the most important person in my life and I know you don't believe it yet, but you will."

Derek reached for Stiles' hand again and laced their fingers together. "I think I'd like you better if I couldn't see how deep Peter's influences run within you. You're too unhinged for me to trust you."

Stiles shrugged. "That sounds about right. You'll see though. Not even a pack filled with Alphas can stop me from being with you."

Stiles drove down the dusty road towards Beacon Hills.


	3. Chapter 3

"The last time you saw the Alphas was maybe when you were a kid and who knows if those were the same people lurking around Beacon Hills now. So why do you think they were here?"

Stiles looked around the abandoned bank. It had been closed for years with no one wanting to purchase the property. There were a lot of abandoned buildings in Beacon Hills that Stiles blamed on Peter. If a human didn't agree with Peter, they either got out of town fast, or Peter made them disappear.

"Alphas feel different compared to Betas, and I already know Peter's scent. This isn't him." Derek raised his nose to sniff the air again and Stiles followed his action. He only smelled dust, cobwebs, and a little mold.

"If you say so."

Derek looked back at him and rolled his eyes. It was just as exaggerated as Peter sometimes did to him. Derek was definitely a Hale. "I know your thing is torture and being a little shit, but you should try and hone your actual werewolf senses. It could save your life."

Oh yeah, he was going to make Derek pay for that once they got back home. He was the best werewolf the world had ever known. Stiles grabbed Derek's arm and pulled him back. "Stop. I'm trying to help, remember?"

Derek rubbed his face with his other hand. "I know. As soon as I say something stupid to you, my heart aches like I did something wrong. I shouldn't be fighting my mate, not when we're going to have to fight another front in the near future."

"You shouldn't be fighting me, period, not unless we're about to have sex." Derek gave him a look. "What? You already knew I like pain with my pleasure, and if that's not your thing, I can deal. I'm just putting it out there."

"Duly noted. Now come on."

Derek led Stiles deeper into the bank until they stood in front of barely opened vault. Stiles stared at it before opening the vault door wider. The inside of the vault was just as dusty and abandoned as the rest of the bank.

"If they were here, they aren't anymore. Why would they even visit this place?"

"I don't know. Nothing about them makes any sense."

"I can research the bank. Maybe I'll get lucky and find their cyber footprints over what they were looking for."

"Maybe. We better head back before Peter gets suspicious."

As Stiles turned around to leave, Derek called out his name.

"I want to kiss you."

Stiles chuckled and fisted his hands in Derek's shirt to pull him closer. "Derek, if you want to kiss me, you don't have to ask. Just do it. I am one hundred percent willing when it comes to you."

Derek leaned in until their lips almost touched. "You're right."

"Naturally, but about what?"

"There's no other Beta like you. You throw yourself into our soul bond like a born werewolf." Before Stiles can snark, Derek continued. "Yes, even better than me and I was born a werewolf, but we both know I'm not the best example of anything."

"I wouldn't have survived if I didn't throw myself wholeheartedly into whatever situation I find myself in. But this? Our bond? This is something I don't feel the need to fight. I've always wanted a mate. Now I have one."

When Derek kissed Stiles, it was light and soft, like he was unsure of himself. Stiles let Derek set the tempo and kept it light. He wasn't going to scare Derek away. Chasing him the first time had been a pain in the ass.

They pulled apart and Derek still had his eyes closed with a smile on his face. "I love kissing you. Okay, now let's go back."

His mate was a soft hearted romantic. Stiles smiled and followed Derek out of the bank.

*

Peter never spoke about the structure of the Hale pack before the fire happened, but Stiles suspected it wasn't anything like how Peter shaped the current pack. Scott was his brother, but the rest of the pack weren't a family. They were a pit of snakes willing to strike at each other's vulnerabilities. As much as he loved Derek, Derek was a definite vulnerability of his.

Stiles was reminded of that fact when he went into the kitchen to get a drink and saw Isaac and Erica circling Derek in the living room. Their fingers remained clawless though their eyes were yellow. Stiles hung back to see what both they and Derek would do.

Derek had a blank expression on his face as he stood still. He wasn't scared, either by sight or through their bond.

"Is there a reason why you're attempting to draw me into a pissing contest or are you that bored and looking for a beating?"

"It's not us who is going to get a beating around here, Derek. It's you," Erica said, finally showing her claws.

Derek snorted. "I can smell the stench of Peter's plotting surrounding the both of you. I'm not going to play Peter's tests. I'm already his second in command and I've been given permission to fuck his old one. If he thinks I'm going to run because some bitten children think they stand a chance against me, he's wrong."

"You're right that Peter told us to test you, but you'll see you're the wrong one. We won't kill you, but we will make sure you hurt. Stiles is not the only one in the pack with skills in pain."

Derek twisted his neck and Stiles saw his blue eyes and fangs when he looked back at Erica and Isaac.

Erica slid behind Derek as Isaac lunged at Derek from the front. Derek grabbed at Isaac and threw him as Erica jumped on his back. It only grew more vicious from there as the two tried to attack him.

Stiles stayed back, wanting to see Derek in action. When he stalked Derek in New York, it was when Derek was practically an Omega and alone. When they fought back then, Derek fought with the movements of a desperate man. This was a different side to Derek, a side that made Stiles incredibly horny. Derek wasn't alone anymore, he had a mate and a pack, and it showed in his strength. They couldn't touch him.

Stiles moved forward and Erica stepped back. Isaac noticed him next and growled, but stopped attacking Derek. Derek didn't turn to look at him until Stiles was right at his back.

"Are you going to try something, Stiles, or are you going to keep staring at me?"

"I can do both." Derek turned around and arched his eyebrow. "But I figure you're still aching from what I did to you in New York, so I'll pass for now."

At Isaac and Erica's snickers, Derek scowled. "Is that so? Because I promise you, when we fight again, the results will be different."

"Good, I love a challenge." Stiles heard Peter on the stairs and turned around. "I have to talk to you, Peter."

"No, I'm not going to change my mind about you servicing Derek." He looked at Derek. "He's still too stiff. Loosen him up some by loosening up your-"

"It's not about that," Stiles said, cutting in before Peter could finish his sentence. "It's about that thing you talked to Derek about when he first arrived."

Peter's expression turned blank for a moment before he smiled. "Of course. Anything for my favorite. Derek, you might as well come with us since it concerns you." He continued down the stairs and walked towards his office.

Peter's office was the other soundproofed room in the mansion and when Derek was the last one in and closed the door, Peter sat in his chair behind his giant mahogany desk. "You don't have to worry about the Alphas."

"I think I do because I like living. I researched about them and they recruit Alphas after those Alphas kill their entire pack. So are you going to kill me, Peter, because I will destroy you."

Peter chuckled as he shook his head. "That's what I love about you, Stiles. You're ruthless when it comes to the things you care about. No, I have no plans to kill my pack. You're safe in that regard."

"So why are they here and why did you have me chase down Derek in New York? We don't need him." Stiles gestured wildly towards Derek. "I don't like being played a fool."

"But we do. You don't know this, Stiles, but the Alpha pack came to visit the Hale pack once upon a time. Derek's mother didn't want to kill her family and sent them running."

Stiles stared at him. "I assume this is when Derek was a little boy which means he's useless for your plan."

"Is he? Their leader is still the same one from all those years ago and he liked Talia's gumption." Peter glanced at Derek and smiled. "And Derek here looks so much like his mother..."

A flare of pain flashed between their bond and Derek growled. "Don't you _dare_ talk about my mother."

Stiles stepped in front of Peter's view of Derek. "That still doesn't explain Derek's part in this."

Peter met Stiles' gaze. "It sounds like you're concerned about my nephew."

Stiles gave him a flat look. "Try concerned about my own life. If your plan with Derek fails, then it stands to reason my life will be in danger. I don't like that. So try again, but with more words that is less bullshit and more straight talk."

Peter's eyes flashed red and Stiles didn't see him move, but he definitely felt Peter's hand closing around his throat as Peter slammed him against the wall.

"I give you more leeway than anyone else in this pack because you honestly are my favorite, Stiles. Don't mistake that favoritism for the ability to run your mouth without consequences."

Derek's worry spiked through their bond and Stiles had to divert some of his attention to calming Derek down. Peter wasn't going to kill him, not for something as small as this.

"As much as I love foreplay with you, Peter, you still haven't answered my question. How does Derek fit into your plan with the Alpha pack?"

"He's not so much a plan as insurance." Peter glanced over at Derek. "They've only left their symbols around Beacon Hills, but they haven't shown their faces yet. I suspect they were waiting for you to return home. If that's the case, I'm certain we'll see them up close soon enough."

"So he's bait. Okay, I can work with that." Stiles covered Peter's hand with his until Peter released his throat. "I'll make certain his scent pretty much _blankets_ Beacon Hills so the Alphas know he's here. Peter, you know better than to keep something from me. I'm great with strategy."

"Derek, I think we're done here." Peter opened the door. "Stiles, stay for a little while longer."

Derek didn't look back as he left the office and Peter closed the door again. Stiles waited. Whatever Peter was about to tell him, he knew he wasn't going to like it.

"Something happened in New York, didn't it, Stiles? You've changed. I can see it in your eyes. I told you to not let your guard down around him."

"I haven't."

Peter made a noncommittal noise. "Just remember why Derek's here. I don't know what the Alphas want exactly, but if Derek has to die, he _will_ die instead of us."

"Understood. Now are you going to let me go?" Peter moved to the side so Stiles could leave his office. He didn't stop moving until he was inside his room.

Derek was already there, sitting on the edge of Stiles' bed. He looked up from his hands with a concerned expression. "Did Peter do anything to you?"

"Nah, Peter just wanted to warn me. He suspects something happened, but I don't think he knows exactly what, which is good for us." Stiles fell to his knees in front of Derek. "I wasn't lying when I said I'm great with strategy. I am going to find a way to keep you safe and alive. Also I think you should stay here tonight."

"Won't that raise Peter's suspicions some more?"

"Maybe, but I don't care. I'm tired of scheming when instead I could be sharing a bed with you for tonight." Stiles got up and began stripping off his clothes. "So you're staying here with me."

It looked like Derek was about to argue, but he simply undressed and got into the middle of the bed. Stiles climbed in after him and curled against Derek, positioning his back to Derek's chest.

As Stiles' eyelids drooped and he was close to drifting off to sleep, Derek's hesitant voice woke him up.

"I named the wolves." Stiles wondered what Derek was talking about before he realized Derek meant the wolves near his job in New York. "The wolf exhibit was new when I arrived and I asked the zoo keepers if I could name their wolves. They thought it odd, but they said okay. They liked when visitors show some interest in their work."

Stiles turned over to look at Derek. "What were their names?"

"I named them after my family. Everyone but Peter." Derek's voice was low, as if he didn't want to admit just how lonely he had been in New York. "I thought it would help if I pretended my family was still with me."

"Derek." Stiles cupped Derek's cheek and kissed him. "You have me now. After this entire mess is over, we can fly back to the zoo and visit your wolf pack, okay?"

There was a vulnerability in Derek's eyes that made Stiles want to kiss him, so he did. It seemed like everything Derek did just made Stiles wild with protective urges. If Derek actually told him, at that moment, he was okay with Peter dying, Stiles wouldn't hesitate going into Peter's room and ripping out his throat. Maybe even killing the rest of the pack if they protested, except for Scott. Scott would always be his best friend.

Derek nuzzled Stiles' face with his own. "I'd like that."

"Get some sleep. Tomorrow, we're going to go on the offensive. I'm tired of the Alpha pack."

"Let me guess, you have a plan?" There was a teasing tone to Derek's voice.

"Indeed I do. I'm going to make sure the Alpha pack stop lurking around town so we can find out what they want. I don't believe Peter when he says they want you. If that was the case, they could have gone after you in New York. It wasn't that hard to find you."

Derek rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, my mate is the best werewolf in the history of werewolves. But Stiles, they're Alphas. All of them."

"Alphas have weaknesses just like everyone else. I just have to figure out what theirs is so I can exploit it."

Stiles felt through their bond that Derek wasn't as confident as he was, but there was a lining of trust. "I'm glad you're on my side," said Derek.

"Always."

*

The next few days, Stiles and Derek spent most of their time away from the mansion, only coming back in the night to quickly shower and sleep. Stiles wasn't going to risk leaving Derek with the rest of the pack if he could help it. Peter didn't question either of them which Derek was happy about, but Stiles knew it meant that Peter was up to something. He always was.

Derek vetoed the easiest way to spread his scent throughout Beacon Hills. "Stiles, that's gross and I'm not going to do it."

"But it's so easy!" Stiles shook a full bottle of water at him. "I have more in the Jeep so you can keep going."

Derek gave him a flat look. "I am not peeing all over town. Think of something else."

That lead to plan b, which was Derek scent marking buildings and trees with his hands. It wasn't as strong as urine would have been, but it satisfied Derek's sensibilities.

When it was time for lunch, Stiles bought them some hot dogs from a stand and offered one to Derek as they sat at a picnic table in the park. Derek opened his hand and Stiles handed him packets of mustard.

"Still no sign of them," Derek said right before he bit into his mustard covered hot dog.

"Not a sniff or howl either. Oh, I finished my research on that bank. No cyber footprints, but the vault is made out of this material that absorbs moonlight. It took me awhile, but I think if a werewolf was held in that vault for awhile, maybe months without moonlight, the moment they were in the range of moonlight, they'd be almost feral and uncontrollable. I think they'd be stronger than the average werewolf for the simple fact that they couldn't control how the moon affected them."

"That doesn't make sense. Why would the Alpha pack sniff around the vault but not use it? It'd make a great trap for someone, but we didn't smell any recent scents of werewolves in it."

Stiles shrugged. He couldn't figure that part out. No one was missing from his pack and he doubted the Alpha pack would use of their own members as the moon frenzied trap. Derek was right. It didn't make sense.

"I think Beacon Hills smells like enough of you for now. The next part of my plan involves some hacking. If they're here, I am going to see where they are staying."

"And if they're staying in some abandoned place?"

"I can look up police reports to see if any of the humans stumbled onto them, alive or not." Stiles finished his hot dog and threw the rolled up wrapper into the nearby trash can like a basketball. "They won't escape my nets."

"Okay. Stiles, have you wondered maybe, after we find the Alpha pack, we should talk to them. Maybe we can team up with them against Peter."

Stiles gave him a careful look. "I thought you didn't want Peter to die."

"I don't, but maybe the Alpha pack will be able to threaten Peter to back down. Not everything has to end in death."

Stiles let out a bark of laughter before fisting his hand in Derek's shirt and pulling him into a kiss. "Your loneliness has made you into a such a wimp. We're werewolves. Death happens frequently for our kind."

Before Derek could answer, Scott's raised voice filled the air. "What are you doing!"

Stiles released Derek's shirt and turned around to see Scott and Lydia staring at them from the hot dog stand. They were close enough that Lydia's human eyes couldn't have missed their kiss. That didn't even get into the fact that Scott might have heard their conversation with his werewolf hearing if he'd been focusing on listening to them. He stood up and walked over to them, aware that he might have to kill his best friend to keep his secret a secret from the rest of the pack.

"Scott. Lydia."


End file.
